If you’re using one of those first generation smartphones, you may need to add a new smartphone to your Christmas wish list. WhatsApp is dropping support for several older smartphones that aren’t capable with its latest features.
If you prolifically use the messaging platform, you’ll have noticed a tonne of new features and improvements that have been added to the service, from image editing to GIF support. The service has grown to be a popular messaging platform for over a billion users around the world.
Unfortunately, many older smartphones cannot support the features, prompting WhatsApp to outright stop supporting them. The Facebook-owned service will phase out the smartphones over the coming months, with smartphones supporting Android 2.1 and Android 2.2; Windows Phone 7 and iPhone 3GS/iOS 6 to no longer be compatible at the end of this year. Furthermore, the service will also stop on any first, second, third or fourth generation iPad that has not been updated. Users need to update to iOS 9.3 to use the service.
However, users with smartphones supporting BlackBerry 10; Nokia S40; and Nokia Symbian S60 will see a grace period that will last until June of 2017. WhatsApp announced their discontinuation for BlackBerry earlier this year.
